It seems of late we have to try and get onsite when the wind is going from nothing to far too strong and snatch what flying we can. Sometimes this is a couple of hours and sometimes, like today you only get a short while.
I got a phone call from Ian letting me know that wind direction was good and the wind strength was not usable yet but getting there. I managed to get the missus home from the shops to watch the kids and drive up the hill (only 1.5 miles away from home as the crow flies but more than double that by road). By the time I was at take off the wind was just about usable. A few minutes later and just as I was doing my pre-flight checks I looked around to see how ready Ian was to see his glider tangled in a bush. So I bunched up my glider and put my harness on top (I didn't fancy picking my kit out of a bush too) and lent a hand. Fortunately I have never had to try to remove a glider from a bush but in next to no time we had Ian free. The wind was slightly stronger now so Ian moved to an easier take off spot a little further from the start of the cliff face. Ian launched and as I watched him steadily climb I rang my wife to let her know I was about to take off as she had mentioned bringing the kids up to watch.
The wind continued to strengthen until I found I was struggling to fly along the ridge so right on schedule my family pull up in the car park as I am heading for my chosen landing field. As my daughter bursts out of the car and shouts "Daddy" all I can do is respond with a wave and a shout that I have to land.
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